Hot-water-supply system



Aug. 5 1924. y 1,503,90

W. A. MCGEE HOT WATER .SUPPLY SYSTEM Filed March 27', 1922 www Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

raisin WILLIAM A. MCGEE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

Application ledAI/Iarch''?, 1922.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, I/ViLLIAM A. MCGEE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and' State o`f Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I-IotIVater Supply Systems, of which the following'` is a specification.

The present invention relates tohot water supply systems.

Though ofV broad application, the present invention will be described in connection with locomotive repair shops. In such shops difiiculty is experienced in maintaining a fairly constant load upon the boilers. This is due to the fact that around shops of this nature there are so many devices which are operated only at irregular intervals that the power factor is usually very poor. In locomotive repair shops, one cause of poor power factor is the very large use of steam for heating waterl for the purpose ofV testing locomotive boilers which have been repaired.

After the locomotive has been repaired, the boiler` is filled with water at' a temperature which, for the purposes be taken to be about 135 degrees Fahrenheit and the test pressure is applied.V If leaks are found, the water is allowed to drain out, therleak' is repaired, the boiler is refilled withV water at the temperature mentioned and again tested. IfY no leaks then appear, the locomotive is taken outof y the shop and may be put in service. Usually the boiler of each locomotive is filled twice before it leaves the shop. Assuming figures taken from practice for purposes of illustration, the testing of each locomotive requires approximately 12,000 gallons of test water which has been heated from an average of about degrees Fahrenheit to about 135 degrees Fahrenheit. As it takes about an hour to lill a locomotive boiler and there may be three boilers being filled at the same time, the severe drain upon the power house boilers which supply the steam for heating the water may be appreciated. It has been' common practice to heat the water by in- 0 jee-ting high pressure steam into same as it passes into the boiler. This very uneconomical procedure consumes a very consid-4 erable percentage of the capacity of the power house boilers. It should be recogi of illustration, may

HOT-WATER-SUPPLY SYSTEM.

Serial No. 546,980.

nized that the most objectionable feature of this uneconomical process is not due to the cost of the steam used, but rather to the great fluctuation in load of the power house boilers.

An object of the present invention is to provide a power plant in which large reserves of hotr water may be provided on an economical basis.

A further and more specific object is to improve vthe power factor of the power house boilers in a locomotive repair shop.

A further object is to provide an improved power plant in which hot water may be economically provided and stored at a predetermined temperature.

Further objects will appear as thedescription proceeds.

The one ligure of the` drawing` represents diagrammatically the layout of a power plant.

The present invention will be described in cennection with the various steam using devices which are-in' common use in a power plant. The present invention is not limited to a plant having the arrangement of steam using devices illustrated and described, but a general layout which is now in practical operation'will be brieiiydiscussed for the purpose of clearly illustrating the invention. For convenience, lines' carrying live steam have been indicated by lines consisting of short dashes; exhaust steam lines have been indicated by dash and dot lines; hot water lines have been indicated by means of dash and two dot lines; and cold water lines have been iudicatedbydash and three dot lines. The numerals ll indicate boilers, which may be supplied from theboiler feed line 2. Said boilers 1-1 supply steam to the steam header 3, from which steam may be supplied to various steam using devices. A plurality of engine driven electric generators 1 -4 anda plurality of engine driven air compressors 5, 5 have been shown in connection with the steam header 3 to derive their supply of steam from said header 3. Exhaust steam from the steam using devices is conducted to the return line 6 which leads in two directions, one branch leading through the oil separator 7 to the feed water heater 8, the other branch leading through the cil'separator 9 to the test water heaters exhaust steam from the steam using devices by means of pipe will be condensed to a considerable extent in the heaters 10 and 11, and the mixture of steam and water will pass through the traps 13-13, the water being conducted through the vacuum return line 14 to the vacuum pumps 15-15. Steam for operating the pumps 15--15 is conducted from the steam header 3 to said pumps 15-15 by means of the pipe 16. Exhaust steam from the pumps 15-15 is conducted to the exhaust header 6 17. The water from the vacuum return line is delivered by the vacuum pumps 15-15 back to the feed water heater 8 through the pipe 18. Boiler feed pumps are indicated by the numerals 19- 19, which lboiler feed pumps draw live steam from the steam header 3 through the pipe 16. Exhaust steam from said boiler feed pumps is conducted from the boiler feed pumps through the pipe 17 to the exhaust header 6. The boiler feed pumps draw water from the feed water heater 8 through the pipe 2O and deliver said water, under pressure, through the pipe 21, to the boiler feed line 2. j

A. cold water supply is indicated by the numeral 22. Said supply may be connected to the service pumps 23-23, which are driven by steam supplied from the steam header 3 through the pipe 24. The exhaust steam from said service pumps 23--23 is conducted through the pipe 25 back to the exhaust header 6. The water from the cold water supply is delivered, under pressure, by the pumps 2323 to the pipe 25 which leads to the heater 10. A pipe 26 leads from the heater 10 to the storage tank 27. A pipe 28 leads from the storage tank 27 to the heater 11, whence a pipe 29 leads to the storage tank 30, which tank 30 is connected through the pipe 31 to the distributing line 32, from which drops 33-33 lead to the locomotive boilers in the repair shop. The heater 10 and storage tank 27 are provided with a recirculating line 34. Though the showing in the drawing does not indicate it, the heaterV 10 should preferably be on a lower level than the ystorage tank 27. Circulation through the storage tank 27 and heater 10 will be maintained as long as there is any lack of uniformity in the temperature of the water in these two members. Similarly, the heater 11 and storage tank 30 are provided with a recirculating line 35. In this case, also, the heater 11 should be on a lower level than the storage tank 30, and a connection should be made betweenthe lower part of the storage tank and the upper part of the heater 11, whereby circulation maybe permitted as long as there is any lack o uniformity in the temperature of the water in said heater 11 and storage tank 30. The two circulating systems, one of which includes the heater 10, storage tank 27 and recirculating line 34, and the other of which includes the heater 1l, storage tank30 and recirculating line 35, will have the function of rendering uniform the water in the storage tanks, which water is used for locomotive testing as above referred to. A. pipe 36 leads from the pipe 25 to carry water from the cold water supply to the pipe 31. The distributing line 32 is continued beyond the drops 33-33 through the recirculating line 37 to the recirculating pump 38 which pumps vwater through the pipe 39 to the pipe 25 which isconnected to the heater 10. Y

The pipe 31 leading from the storage tank 30 is connected to the pipe 36 through the pipe 40. The pipe 36 being connected to the pipe 25 leading from the cold water supply will supply cold water to be mixed with the hot water in pipe 31. A mixer 41 may be provided for mixing said hot and cold water. A thermostatic device maybe provided in the distributing line 32 at the point indicated by the numeral 42, which thermostatic device may control the valve 43 in the hot water pipe 31. A'second thermostatic the temperature o.

device may be provided at the same point (42), which thermostatic device may control valve 44 in the connection40 with the pipe 36. The thermostatic devices indicated at 42 may be of the type known as the Powers regulator, which will automatically control the valves 43 and 44 to control the supplies of hot and cold water through said valves to maintain uniform the temperature of the water delivered to the distributing A tube 45 may be provided for connecting one of the thermostatic devices at point 42 with the valve 43, and a tube 46 may be provided for connecting the Vother thermostatic device at point 42 with the valve 44. Connected to the pipe 37 is the thermostatically operated member 47 The device 47 controls the operation of the recirculating pump 38. Certainv electrical connections have been illustrated between the device 47 andthe recirculating pump 38, which connections are merely indicative of any connections that may be provided by those skilled in the art. It will be found good practice to havethe recirculating pump 38 motor driven, whereby the same may be readily controlled by the device 47. lt will be clear that when the temperature in the recirculating line 37 decreases beyond a predetermined point, the motor driven recirculating pump 38 may started to drive water through the heater 10, storage tank 27, heater 11 and storage tank be automatically loi) line 32. Y

lll)

lil-J 5.5.' the oil separator 7 to 'valve is responsive to i line 2 throughthe 30 for raising the temperature ofsaid water to a predetermined point. Zhen the temperature reaches a desired point, the motor will be automatically stopped, whereby `the pump 38 will no longer drive the test water through the heaters for raising the temperature of the water. A lby-pass v4:8 may be provided for the pipe 40, which by-pass is governed by Athe handf controlled supply valve 49. Check valves V5O"50 may be provided in recirculating lines 3e', 35 and 39 to prevent a reversal of the direction of circulation of the test water. i

Occasions may arise when `the steam using devices are out of service, whereby there is not suiiicient exhaust steam for heating the water in heaters and 11. To supply steam for this purpose a `reducing valve 51 may be provided between the steam header 3 and exhaust header 6, which reducing pressure within said exhaust header 6. When said pressure exhaust header 6 falls below `a predetermined point, said valve will automatically open to admit live steam'from steam'header 3 to raise the pressure within the .header 46 to the desired value.` This construction ensures a supply of steam for heating the water in heaters 10 and 11 at all times. Beducing valves of this nature are ,well known to those skilled in the art and need notbe explained in detail herein. mode of operation yof Vthe above described embodiment ofthe present vinvention will be clear without detailed explanation. It may be'brielly stated, however, thattlie exhaust from the steam using devices is used tor heating test water, which is stored ,up in tanks and maintained at'proper temperature tor use, said temperature being `regulated automatically. Starting with the water in the feed water heater, `S'ld ,water may beheated by theexhaust steam from the steam using devices 441, 5-5, lflr, and 19-19 which passes through the exhaust header 6 and through the'oil separator 7 to said feed water heater 8." I-leated water is drawn by the lpumps 1919through the pipe 2O and is delivered to the boiler feed A pipe 21. Steam from the boilers 1%1 is delivered to the steam header 3, whence same is conducted to the various steam using devices. Exhaust steamhtrom the steam using devices may pass through the feed water heater 8, as stated above, or may pass throughthe oil separator 9 to the heaters 10 and 1l. The

exhaust steam in passingthroughthe coils 12-12 of the heaters 10 and 1 1 Vis condensed to a considerable extent and is passed through the traps 1313 where the water of condensation is separated from the steam and said water of condensation is delivered through. the vacuum return line 14: to the vacuum pumps 1515, whence the wateris returned to ,the `feed water heater 8. Water for the heaters 10 and 11 and the storagev tanks 27 and 30 may be admitted through the cold water supply 22, being pumped through the service pumps 23-23 to the heating and storage system comprising the heaterlO, the storage tank 27, the heater 11 and storage tank 30. The heater 10 and its storage tank 27 are provided with a recirculating line 34 which has the function ot' setting up circulation of the water within said heater 1 0 and tank 27 whereby said water may be etiiciently heated. The heater 11 andfstorage tank 30 are provided with a recirculating line 35 whereby the water in said heater 1l and storage tank 30 may be eiiicientlyv heated. YVater from the cold water supply is mixed Vwith the water from storage tanks 27 and 30 through the connection 40, the hot and cold water being mixed in the mixer 41. The temperature of the water emerging `from mixer 4 1 is caused to automatically regulate the supply of hot and 'cold water, wherebythe water in the distributing line may -be held at a substantially Vconstant temperature. The distributing lines 32 and 37 pump 38 and the-pipe 39 constitute a general recirculating system for the hot water in storage tanks 27 and 30. The thermostatically `controlled device i7 will control the wrecirculating pump 38 whereby Vto start and stop said pump response the water in the to the temperaturehof n recirculating line 37. When said temperature falls below a predetermined value, the pump 38 will be automatically started to force water through the heaters 10 and 11 to raise the temperature of said water. *When saidA vwater has reached a predetermined te perature, the recirculating pump will. be automatically stopped so that an undesirable'temperature will not .be obtained.

Hot water from t-he'storage tanks 27 and 30 may be used for filling the locomotive boilers for testing purposes in the manner outlined above, or may be used for any other desired purpose.` The steam used .for heating the testV water is the exhaust steam from the steam using `devices of the plant. The consumption of steam for heating said test water is fairly uniform throughout the operation or the plant and the power factor of the boilers is rendered very much more nearly uniform than in ordinary practice. Those skilled in the art ,will vary the connections of the heaters and tanks to suit their individual requirements vliereby said heaters and tanks will be used in combinations to suit existing conditions.

One embodiment 4of the present invention has been described in detail. Many modiiications will occur to those skilled in the art. Itr `is intended in this patent to cover all such modifications that tall within the scope the recirculating of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A system comprising steam emitting devices, a pair of Water heaters each connected to be heated by the steam emitted from said devices, a storage tank connected to each of said heaters, a recirculating line for each heater and its corresponding storage tank, Water inlet means for said heaters and tanks, a distributing line connected .to be supplied Jfrom said heaters and tanks and also connected to be supplied from said Water inlet means, and automatic regulating means responsive to the temperature of the Water in said distributing line for governing the relative supplies of hot and cold Water.

2. A system comprising steam emitting devices, heaters connected to be operated by the steam emitted from said devices, a sterage tank connected with each of said heaters, a recirculating line for each heater and its corresponding storage tank, a distributing line connectedv to said heaters and tanks, Water inlet means for said heaters and tanks, said Water inlet means also having a direct connection With the outlet 'from said heaters and tanks, and means responsive to the temperature of the Water in said distributing line for controlling the relative distribution of Water Jfrom said heaters and tanks on the one hand and from said Water inlet means on the other hand. Y

3. A system comprising steam emitting devices, heaters connected to be operated by the steam emitted from said devices, each of said heaters having a storage tank connected therewith, said heaters and storage tanks being connected in series, an outlet line connected to said heaters and tanks, Water inlet means for said heaters and tanks, said Water inlet means also being directly connected to said outlet line, and a recirculating line connecting said outlet line `to said heaters and tanks, said recirculating line being provided with a pump responsive to the temperature in said recirculating line.

t. A system comprising steam emitting devices, heaters connected to be operated by the steam emitted from said devices, each of. said heaters having a storage tank connected therewith, said heaters and storage tanks being connected in series, an outlet line connected to said heaters and tanks, Water inlet means for said heaters and tanks, said Water inlet means also being directly connected to said outlet line, and a recirculating line connecting said outlet line to said heaters and tanks, said recirculating line being provided With a pump responsive to the temperature in said recirculating line, each heater and its corresponding tank being provided With a recirculating line.

5. A system comprising steam emitting devices, Water heating means utilizing the steam emitted from said devices, storage means connected to said heating means. recirculating means for said heating means and said storage means, Water inlet means for said heating means and storage means, outlet means for said storage means, and cold Water inlet means connected to said outlet means for supplying cold-Water to mix with the hot Water from said storage means. regulating means responsive to the temperature of the resulting mixture being provided for governing the relative supplies of said hot and cold Water.

6. A system comprising a distributing line for het Water, steam emitting devices, Water heating means utilizing the steam emitted from said devices, storage means connected to said heating means, -an outlet from said storage means to said distributing line, pump means for forcing Water through said heating means, storage means and distributing line, a recirculating line for delivering Water from said distributing line to said heating means, said recirculating line includin an auxiliary pump, said auxiliary pump eing responsive to the temperature of the Water in said distributing line.

7. A system comprising steam emitting devices, heating means vconnected to utilize the steam emitted from said storage means connected -to said heating means, cold Water inlet means for said heatingr means, outlet means for said heating means and storage means, said cold Water inlet means being also connected to said outlet means, automatic regulating means responsive .to the temperature of the Water in said outlet and means controlled by said temperature responsive means for governing the relative supplies of Water from said heating and storage means on the one hand and said cold Water inlet means on the other hand.

S. A vsystem comprising steam emitting devices, heating means connected to vutilize the steam emitted from said devices, Water storage means means, cold Water inlet means for said heating means, outlet means for said heating means and storage means, said cold Water inlet means being also connected to said outlet means, and automatic regulating means for governing the relative supplies of Water from said storage means on the one hand and said cold Water inlet means on the other hand to said outlet means, a recirculating line for said heating and storage means, said recirculating line being provided with pump means and thermostatic means for controlling said pump means.

9. A system comprising steam emitting devices, Water heating devices utilizing the steam emitted from said devices, Water storage means connected to said heating means,

devices, Water connected to said heatingV an outlet for said storage means, cold Water inlet means for said heating means, said cold Water inlet means being also provided with a eonneotion to said outlet, thermostatically controlled means for governing the supply of Water from said cold Water inlet to said outlet, a reeireulating'line Jfor Isaid heating and storage means, said recirculating line bein@` for circulating C provided With pump means Water through said heating 10 and storage means, and thermostatie means for controlling Signed at Cle March, 1922.

said pump. veland, Ohio, this 13 day of WILLIAM A. MCGEE. 

